


Calling Out

by Aerilon452



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Complete, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-18
Updated: 2016-07-23
Packaged: 2018-05-21 09:00:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6045706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aerilon452/pseuds/Aerilon452
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sarah hadn't meant to, but is name flitted through her mind as she endeavored to stay hidden from two intruders.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

CALLING OUT:

 

Sarah stood looking at the two men who had guns trained on her. She had managed to dodge them all weekend, and now that she was finally able to make her boss aware of what was happening, they were already here. So was her employer. Now she realized how foolish she’d been. The man who paid her, he was also paying to have his office burglarized. 

“You made a mistake little girl.” 

Sarah glared at the blonde man standing to the left of her boss, Mr. Worthington. “I don’t think I have.” She took a step back.

“Don’t move, Sarah.” Allan urged. The last thing he wanted was for her to get harmed, but he couldn’t see any other way around it.

“All I have to do it make one wish, and I’ll be gone.” Sarah said quietly. Jareth had promised her he would take her away. All she had to do was wish it. Even now the words were waiting on her tongue.

“A wish? What is this? Neverland?” The brunette man rolled his eyes. 

“There was once a young girl who caught the eye of the Goblin King. He fell in love with her and gave her certain powers.” Sarah recited words that had long since been buried in her mind. Last time it had been Toby. She hadn’t meant it and had fought hard to get him back. “I wish the goblins would take me away…. right now.”

 

THREE DAYS BEFORE:

 

It was a Friday night as Sarah walked through the doors belonging to the law offices of Sturgis, Worthington, and Myers. She wasn’t a lawyer, or a paralegal. Her job was to take all the documents from the week, sort through them, assemble most of them into usable files and then file the rest in the back office cabinets where the large safe rested. Sarah worked for defense attorneys who only defended wealthy people, mob bosses, basically anyone who could pay their obscene fee’s. 

Who was Sarah to judge? She got paid in the end and all she really did was shuffle papers around. Nothing too harmful. At least she hoped not. There was no use dwelling on it when there was work to be done. She didn’t have all night. Putting her headphones on, she hit play, and filled her ears with music. The first stack of papers would be tackled easily as she danced to song after song. 

It wasn’t until half the night was over that Sarah sensed something wasn’t quite right in the stillness around her. Taking her headphones off, she paused her music giving herself a few moments to listen to the silence of the office. At first she thought she was imagining things and then there was the sound of a door closing. Sarah being in the back filing room had a few seconds, at best, to shut the light off, and then hide between two of the cabinets. 

Sarah barely managed to squeeze herself in between the two metal monsters, cover her mouth, before the door to her filing room opened, and a harsh light was shining in. Silently she thought, ‘1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10…’ Once she reached ten, she started all over again. All she had to do was stay quiet, stay still, and wait for them to move on. She could do it. She knew she could. After all, she’d bested the Labyrinth and it’s King when she had been fourteen. She could stay hidden from two stranger for just a little while longer. 

Thinking about Jareth made Sarah’s heart skip a beat. What was he doing? Had he stolen another little brother? Was he dancing with some other girl in a bubble ballroom while singing to her? Those thoughts always made her want to cry. She missed him so much, but didn’t have the heart to call to him. ‘Oh, Jareth, where are you….?’ Her mind spoke his name before she thought not to. Sarah brought her hand up to the hollow of her throat where her fingers wrapped around the small pendant that matched the one the Goblin King wore. 

Sarah gathered her wits. She was going to make a run for it when the men moved on from where she was hiding. All she had to do was sneak out of the room, out of the office, and make it down the back stairs that led to the alley facing the street. From there she would hail a cab and go home. First, the men had to move along. It was just a waiting game for her and Sarah hated to wait. Her body was ready to run, like she had done in the Labyrinth. The urge to escape was pushing her to move. A second later, the door to the filing room creaked closed.

Sarah breathed a sigh of relief, but remained a few seconds later in her hiding place. She didn’t want to make a noise that would draw the men back to discover her. “Steady, Sarah. Don’t be stupid.” She muttered under her breath. When she was sure she could move, she did. She squeezed herself back out into the open, grabbed her satchel, and slipped on her black leather jacket. Her hand went to the door handle, gripped it twisting it slowly so it wouldn’t make a sound. 

Pulling up and opening the door slowly Sarah listened for movement. There was some rustling in her boss’s office, and that was on the other side of the of the space. She had a straight shot to the back stairs if she moved quickly and quietly. Step one was to get out of the office. “Move, now…” Sarah slipped out in the dark expanse of office space. Her first hiding place was the closest support column. Quickly she made it, plastering her back against the hard surface. ‘1,2,3….’ She moved again, ducking behind a desk. ‘1,2,3….’ Sarah moved again and she was out the main doors, running for the stairwell. Taking the steps two at a time, she ran down seven floors as fast as she could. 

Bursting through the side door to the alley, Sarah stopped on the street to catch her breath. If the men had seen her, they would be coming after her and she couldn’t stay here. Moving to the curb she looked up and down for signs of a taxi. Her first hitch in her escape. No taxi. “Come on, come one…” She nibbled her bottom lip. It was then a strange feeling pulled her gaze away from the traffic and up the street. A man was walking towards her, blonde hair falling to his shoulders playing off against the blue of his suit jacket, and the black of his t-shirt. Her eyes kept sweeping down to see black pants and expensive loafers. “Jareth….?” He looked like any number of rich clients her boss would represent. Sarah didn’t know how seeing him again would make her feel, and now she knew. Her heart stopped and the air left her lungs.

Jareth had been pulled into the human world when he felt Sarah call for him. He appeared on a silent street just as she came running out of an alley. She had been beautiful at fourteen, but now she was stunning, a truly radiant woman. And she saw him. His heart raced the closer he came to her. “Sarah.” She was close enough to take in his arms, but he didn’t dare. She had to make the choice to touch him. Jareth was unprepared for her to throw herself into his arms that he didn’t embrace her in return right away. His arms came around her waist, fingers digging into the leather that shielded her from the slight night chill. 

Momentarily enraptured with the feel of Sarah in his arms, he almost missed the two men coming out of the same alley. What sort of trouble had his Sarah gotten into? If he knew he could get away with it, he would use his powers to turn those two men into goblins and cast them into the Labyrinth. “Sarah, two men are staring at us.” His words made her go rigid in his arms. 

“Shit…” Sarah growled. How had they seen her? She was careful. Looking over Jareth’s shoulder, she saw a taxi coming. She pulled away from him, and went to the curb to hail the driver. Sarah risked a glance at them just as the cab pulled up and then to Jareth she said, “Get in, we’re going to my place.” She pulled the door closed roughly a few seconds before the two men came up to the taxi. They knew her face now. Sarah wasn’t afraid of them. To the cab driver she said, “Take us to SoHo, Underground record store.”

 

UNDERGROUND RECORDS:

 

Sarah walked up the back stairs with Jareth following behind her without saying anything. In fact, he hadn’t said much since they got in the taxi to come here. Pushing open the door, Sarah flipped the switched bathing her apartment in soft yellow light. “Welcome to my home.” She moved aside so he could come inside. “Are you ok?” Sarah asked, closing the door, and then she peeled off her jacket to place it on the hook.

Jareth looked at her, mirroring her in taking off his jacket. “I’m fine.” He replied. “Why were those men after you?” He asked. Sarah brought her arms around her and looked away from him. “Sarah, why did you call out to me?”

Sarah looked down at the floor, “I didn’t mean to.” Her answer came out in a whisper. “I was hiding from those men because they broke into the office where I work. Your name just popped into my head and I wanted to see you so badly.” She looked at him. He was standing close to her now, his hands reaching out, resting on her shoulders. When he pulled her close, Sarah went willingly into his arms. “I didn’t even know they were in the office until this feeling of danger ran through me….” She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly.

“It’s alright.” Jareth soothed. “I’m here now and I’m not leaving.” His brave Sarah. He kissed the side of her head, holding her. After a few minutes he pulled away, his hands running down her arms so he could take her hands in his. It was then he noticed the ring on her left ring finger; the ring he had Hoggle give to her. It was a thin silver band with a light green stone in the center. “You’re wearing the gift I sent you through Hoggle.” He said.

Sarah was stunned, and grateful for the change of topic. “This was from you?” She had assumed it was a gift from Hoggle, though he hated to part with something so fine as this piece of jewelry. Knowing it was from Jareth made her prize the ring all the more. “Hoggle gave it to me the last time I saw him.” She said lightly. “Which I thought it very sweet given how much he loved jewelry.” She added a small laugh.

“It was on your birthday.” Jareth smiled guiding her over to the couch. Together they sat down and he continued to speak. “I wanted to be there with you, but you were having fun. So, I contented myself with watching you.”

“You were there?” Sarah asked trying to recall that evening. She remembered Hoggle, Didymus, Ludo, and a few others, but not him. Jareth would have stuck out in a crowd. “I don’t remember you being there.”

“I was the owl,” Jareth reminded. “I was there all the time, perched on a branch outside your bedroom window.” He smiled, reaching out once again, only this time he took the small pendant she wore between his fingers. “I had to make sure you were ok, that you were living life.”

“Some would call that stalker behavior.” Sarah giggled. 

“Oh, really, and what would you call it?” Jareth inquired in a light tone. 

“Devotion.” Sarah answered without hesitation. “Thank you.” She added. “I love the ring.”

“I’m glad.” Jareth bought her left hand up, kissing her knuckles lightly. “How did you come to live in the city?” The apartment she was living in was spacious, well furnished. It didn’t seem as if Sarah could easily afford to stay here.

Sarah drew her legs up, sitting Indian style on the couch facing Jareth. “Karen left this place to me after she died, as well as making me partial owner of the record store downstairs. My step mother’s business partner runs it, but she let me make one change.”

“Underground Records.” Jareth chuckled. “I like it.”

“I thought you might.” Sarah grinned broadly. “In exchange for living in this loft apartment practically rent free, Karen’s business partner controls the store downstairs and I work there during the week for a few hours.” 

Jareth nodded. It was a good enough deal to him. “What are you going to do about those two men?”

Sarah shrugged, “Wait until Monday, go in and talk to my boss about it.”

“Why?” Jareth asked.

“My boss goes out of town every weekend and leaves no way to get in contact with him. I can’t go to the police because they won’t do anything.” Sarah explained. “I work in Law Office that specializes in criminals. Though, I work one night a week, filing papers. My boss knew my dad. So…” She shrugged trailing off. “I’ll just go to my boss and let him know about it.”

“And what if these men decide to try and find you?” Jareth asked, more concerned for her safety than he was a few moments ago. It was a good thing that he was here. There was no power in this world that would keep him from doing what he had to, to protect Sarah. 

“They won’t be able to.” Sarah answered. “I’m not listed by my name in employee records. There is no address for me either, except a PO Box in the heart of the city. That’s also another dead end as I gave them another false name.”

“Are you running from something, Sarah?” Jareth angled his body towards her.

“No, not really.” Sarah replied honestly. “My father.” 

“Why would you hide from him?” Jareth took her hand in his. What had happened to his Sarah since last he’d seen her?

“He blamed me for Karen’s car accident when she died and I walked away. He wished I would disappear and I did.” Sarah replied looking away. After the Labyrinth, she had made an effort to get to know Karen, to be less of a brat, and she found that she liked the woman her father had married. “It was a rainy day, Karen and I had taken a girl’s day and gone shopping. We were laughing, and joking, and then the next thing I know there’s blood on my face, and Karen isn’t moving.” She took a moment to breathe, to calm herself. “A truck t-boned us. Karen was dead a few minutes later. I passed out from my head colliding with the passenger side window.”

Jareth moved to her, pulling Sarah into his arms. He could feel the slight tremor running through her from the sadness and guilt. She survived a random act of misfortune that was hard to escape from. “Her death was not your fault.” He whispered, kissing the top of her head. To imagine what kind of personal emotional torment she was going through was something Jareth couldn’t fathom. 

Sarah hadn’t spoken of her step mother in years, not since she’d given her father what he wanted and she vanished. In fact, she had done quite well in putting the whole matter out of her mind for a long time. Then there was Jareth, he made her feel things she tried not to feel. “I know….” Sarah mumbled. She moved from the comfort of his arms, getting off the couch to stand in front of him. “So, stolen any little brothers lately?” There was an intense need inside her to change the subject again. 

Jareth didn’t fight the switch in topics. He could see she needed it. So, he stood up as well, standing close to her and replied. “No.” How he could think of enticing another young woman to run the gauntlet of his Labyrinth when the one he wanted had already bested him as she was always meant to. “I have more than enough goblins to contend with, thank you.” He laughed lightly and smiled the smile he knew would warm her heart. 

“I know that smile.” Sarah felt a blush creep up into her cheeks. He alone could make her weak in the knees. “I remember it from that night you came through the window. You smiled at me and I was stunned.” Her hand came up and cupped his face. “You were the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.”

“As were you.” Jareth replied bringing his hands up to hold her face gently. “I noticed you have an amulet like mine.” He had wanted to ask her about it, but other things had to be discussed first. “Where did you acquire it?”

“Ah…” Sarah backed away, going to the kitchen to get a drink. “A friend from school made it for me. He saw I used to draw it on everything; my notebooks, my class work, tests, my book bag. I couldn’t get it out of my head and I wear it every day to feel connected to you.” She closed the fridge door opening the bottle of flavored water. “My friend never asked about it and I never explained.”

“It suits you.” Jareth smiled. “I also like what you’ve done with your hair.” He went to her, his fingers threading through her short shoulder length dark strands. 

“Yeah? At least we match now.” Sarah chuckled. “Though, I do wish your hair looked how it did…” She bit her bottom lip. The image of him in the ballroom looking so handsome in blue. 

Jareth stepped into Sarah’s space, crowding her, backing her into the counter, “Can I kiss you?” He asked in a whisper. She nodded her consent and that was enough for him. Angling his head, he took her lips in a gentle kiss, a mere press of lips. He needed to know what this was like. And before it overwhelmed his senses, Jareth pulled back, is hands reaching out to grip the edge of the counter on either side of her hips. 

Sarah held his face, her lips kissing his brow. The kiss had been simple, but powerful. “Jareth….” She drew out his name in a single breath, a reverent whisper. He lifted her, setting her on the edge of the counter making her gasp in surprise. Jareth stood between her parted knees, his bi colored eyes staring deeply into hers. She could see the passion stirring in him, but he was holding himself back. He still saw her as the fourteen-year-old girl who challenged him. “I’m not that child anymore.” Sarah whispered placing her hands on his chest feeling the deep breath he took. 

“I know,” Jareth sighed. “I don’t want to push you into anything…” Sarah stopped him, her hand covering his mouth.

“I know how to stay STOP.” Sarah cut in. “If I didn’t want to do something, I wouldn’t do it.” She said. From the Labyrinth she learned to be strong, to stand up for herself. Though, she could see where Jareth was coming from. She had been a child when they met, and he hadn’t aged a day since the last time she’d seen him. 

Jareth kissed Sarah’s forehead. His heart and his body knew that Sarah was no longer a child, but his mind still saw her as the fourteen-year-old girl that faced off against him. He pulled her off the counter to stand before him, against him. “I guess my mind has to catch up with the idea of you grown up.”

“Ok,” Sarah nodded slightly. “I understand that.” Leaning in, she kissed his cheek gently. “You want something to eat?” Sarah asked moving away from him and back to the fridge to get some food out to heat up on the stove.

Jareth rested his hip against the counter, crossing his arms. “How come you live alone? Do you not have a companion?”

Sarah shook her head setting a skillet on the stove top. She was in the mood for some scrambled eggs. Going to the cabinet, she pulled down a bowl and a plate, then fished in the drawer for a whisk and a spatula. “I live alone because I like my space.” She replied cracking a few eggs into the glass bowl. “As for a companion, none of them stick around for more than a night.”

Jareth nodded, and his next question was something he didn’t want to ask, but he had to. “Why don’t they stay?”

Sarah glanced at Jareth over her shoulder, “Because none of them were you.” Giving her attention back to the stove she continued to speak. “I fell in love with you when we danced, and that love only grew after I left the Labyrinth. No man could compare to you, to how you make me feel.”

Jareth’s heart skipped a beat at Sarah’s words. She was saying all the things he was hoping to hear when they crossed paths again. He wanted to go to her, to wrap his arms around her, but he kept his place against the counter. Jareth was going to move slow with Sarah, try not to push her in the direction he wanted. “How do I make you feel?”

Sarah smiled a half smile. “Special.”

A little while later, Jareth was on the couch with Sarah, the light noise of the tv in the background. Curled into the corner, she had fallen into a light slumber that held his rapt attention. Sarah looked so peaceful to him, even younger than she was, or had been in his eyes. Moving next to her, Jareth lightly brushed a few errant strands away from her cheek so his fingers could whisper over her skin without waking her up. He smiled as he traced the outline of her lips, feeling the rose petal softness of them. This was his Sarah. This was how she had grown. “Beautiful.” Jareth murmured, leaning in to place a gentle kiss to her cheek before pulling back to allow her to remain sleeping.

Sarah opened her eyes to a smiling Goblin King. The sight of him still had the power to warm her. “I didn’t realize I fell asleep.”

“Being chased by dangerous men will make you tired, I’d imagine.” Jareth commented lightly.

“I never tired when I was running the Labyrinth, and there were more dangerous things found within those walls.” Sarah joked sitting up.

“Those things were meant to test your resolve, not kill you.” Jareth pointed out.

“Oh, so those fiery fools weren’t really trying to take my head off?” Sarah laughed, recalling her encounter with them.

Jareth furrowed his brow, “They’re insane, so yes, they may have been trying…” He laughed when she glared at him. It only made him laugh harder. “I’m sorry your path was diverted to them.” He moved over, sitting closer to her.

“It’s ok,” Sarah reached out to grasp his delicate chin. “I found them mildly entertaining in the beginning, you know, before they started to remove their appendages.”

“Yes, they have their moments.” Jareth responded. He delighted in the gentle touch of her fingers upon his chin. It sent an electric current through him he’d not felt for someone in a long time. The last time this feeling pervaded him had been when Sarah danced with him. When they’d been in that illusion he never expected to be affected.

“Come on,” Sarah dropped her hand, getting up from the couch. “We should get some sleep.”

Jareth kept his place on the couch, “I can stay here.”

“I don’t mind sharing.” Sarah took Jareth’s hand, pulling him up to follow her. She wouldn’t admit it, but after being nearly caught during a break in, seeing him, she needed someone to hold her. By the look in his eyes, he knew what she needed. 

Jareth followed willingly in Sarah’s wake. He could sense he unsettled nerve she had tried to keep under control, and he could hear what it was she was not asking from him. It was why he didn’t decline her offer. If anything, he didn’t want to be separated from her. Letting go of her hand, he let her walk into her bedroom first to give her time to change. 

In her room, Sarah pulled off her shirt leaving her camisole on and then stripped out of her jeans to drape them over the chair set against the wall. She picked up her pajama shorts before going into her closet to retrieve a pair of male sleep pants with a large black t-shirt. Jareth was slender to the point that he could easily wear her clothes. The thought made Sarah chuckle as she left her closet to return to him. “Here, you’ll be comfortable in these.”

Jareth took the clothes from her hands. “Thank you…” His eyes traveled down her body taking in the sight of her long legs that looked like they would be silky to the touch. From him peripheral vision Jareth could see that Sarah was smiling at him, enjoying the way he openly admired her. He brought his eyes back up to her face and cleared his throat. 

“The door to your right is the bathroom. You can change in there.” Sarah said with a light chuckle. She left him to change, going back to the bed to turn the covers down and turn on the TV. Late night informercials always lulled her into sleep quicker than anything else. Sarah never slept in silence, she couldn’t, not since her time in the Labyrinth. Crawling into bed, she waited for Jareth to return.

Jareth changed quickly so he could return to the bedroom where he found Sarah already in bed. Without being told, he flipped the switch on the wall before joining her. He settled himself on his back, the covers resting around his waist. Sarah slid close to him, her left leg draping over his, and her head pillowing on his chest. Jareth couldn’t have imagined how right this felt if he’d tried. She was a warm weight that chased away the long years without her. For as long as he could he was going to fight off falling asleep so he could savor the feeling of her against him. 

Sarah pulled the covers up and around her as she settled in next to Jareth. His arms came around her, his left hand burying in her hair to cup the back of her head, and his right hand settling over her arm that she had draped over his abdomen. She sighed in complete and utter contentment. Jareth fit to her perfectly, so much so that she almost hated to fall asleep, but she could feel the first wave of sleep taking her, pulling her down into the dark. Sarah knew she was safe; Jareth was holding her. 

TO BE CONTINUED:


	2. Chapter 2

Morning came to Sarah still in bed. She woke to find the space beside her empty and for a moment her heart sank. Had Jareth really been with her las night? Had she imagined the whole encounter with him? Sitting up, she replayed last night, searching for some small clue that it hadn’t been real, but she could find nothing. She knew Jareth had been with her, could still feel the weight of his arms holding her. There was even the faint linger scent of him, magical and wild. She sat up quickly, the blanket pooling in her lap. His name was about to tumble from her lips when her head turned to see him striding down the hall towards her. A sigh of relief escaped her. “I thought….” 

Jareth came to the side of the bed, sitting down on the edge. “I told you, I’m not leaving.” He leaned in kissing her lightly on the forehead. “My intention wasn’t to make you worry. I simply didn’t want you to wake you up.” When she opened her mouth to deny it, he shook his head. He’d seen the worry in her eyes, and the fear. Fear that last night had been nothing more than a dream. He’d had the same ill feeling upon the moment of waking. Jareth had thought he was in his bed back in the Goblin city. The moment he opened his eyes, relief flooded through him that he was still by Sarah’s side. Jareth slipped out of bed not wanting to wake her.

Sarah let out a puff of hair, feeling foolish for ever thinking he’d left her. Pushing the covers off her legs, she sat crossed legged on the bed. “I’m sorry, I had thought you’d left, or that you’d only been a dream.” She looked down at her hands folded in her lap. Actually sleeping as long as she did, had done her some good. She was able to put last night out of her mind, to sleep away the fear from the safety of Jareth’s arms. He made it better.

“I would have thought the same had I woken to an empty bed.” Jareth tipped Sarah’s chin up so he could look her in the eyes. The smile that curved her lips warmed his heart. He had wanted to give her time to wake on her own while he poked around her apartment. There were little to no mementos from her home. No pictures of Toby, the little brother she faced him to save. 

“So,” Sarah sucked in a breath and then huffed it out. “What do you want to do today? It’s Saturday and I’m not going into work.” She chuckled moving so she could climb out of bed. “We could go for a walk, grab something to eat the diner just a few blocks away. They make the best….”

“Sarah?” Jareth pulled her to a stop. “You’re not seriously considering going out that door?” He had his powers, but during the day he couldn’t use them as well as he’d be able to back in the Labyrinth. 

“Yeah, I am actually. Why not?” Sarah scoffed. “It’s not like they know where I live.” Her eyes drifted down to his hands on her arms. He’d done it to make a point, and he had. “I will live the life I choose, and I won’t live in fear.” 

Jareth took his hands from her, holding them up to show he wasn’t going to continue to manhandle her. “They could find you if so motivated.” He only wanted to protect her, but he could see she wouldn’t allow him that. Not when she was so strong.

“I’m not worried about them.” Sarah shrugged. “Jareth, I know you’re worried, but I can defend myself.” She turned from him to go to her closet, but she felt him reach for her again, she demonstrated her self-defense skills. Turning, she caught him off balance, and pushed him into the wall, her forearm pressed lightly into his throat. “Believe me now?”

Jareth cleared his throat, grasping her wrist lightly so he could pull her arm away from his throat. “Point taken. I shouldn’t have doubted you.” He grinned keeping his back pressed to the wall until he felt it was ok for him to move. Sarah continued to grin at him.

“Did I hurt you?” Sarah asked wrapping her arms around his neck. She only wanted him to see she was capable of saving herself. It had been a long time since her journey through the Labyrinth, and that had made her stronger.

“No,” Jareth in return slipped his arms around her waist. “Will you at least reconsider staying in your apartment?” The woman before him was who’d he hoped Sarah would have turned into. 

“Nope.” Sarah replied cheekily. “I’m hungry.” She moved out of his arms to get clean clothes for the day. There was a craving for some of the delicious food from the diner a few blocks away.

Jareth sat on the bed to watch Sarah work the pair of faded blue jeans up her long slender legs before buttoning them. She pulled off her oversized shirt only replace it with a black v-neck that hugged her delectable form. He nodded his appreciation of her chosen attire, smiling when she slipped her feet into a pair of strappy sandals. “Ready?”

“Are you?” Sarah chuckled. “Crowded streets don’t seem like something you would handle very well.” Though, she had seen him in a room full of people when they were in the ballroom.

“Are laughing at me?” Jareth glared playfully at her, a light scolding tone to his voice.

“Not at all, Your Majesty.” Sarah answered. 

 

GOOD TIMES DINER:

 

Jareth walked hand in hand with Sarah through the front door of a diner to a wide variety of colorful people, and not just their clothing. The varying shades of blues, pinks, reds, and yellow’s left him seeing spots. “What is this place?” He asked, leaning close to Sarah to whisper in her ear. 

“My friend owns this diner.” Sarah answered. She looked around through the sea of patrons until she found the vibrant blue ombre mane of her friend. The first friend she made when she arrived in the city. “Mink!” She called taking her hand from Jareth’s to wave enthusiastically. Rather than abandon Jareth by the door, she took his hand again, and pulled him along with her as she made her way towards the counter.

Minka Royale, owner of the Good Times Diner, looked up when she heard her name being called. Looking up she saw the sweet face of Sarah Williams coming towards her with a gorgeous man in tow. “Sarah!” Minka cried out with joy. “Oh my darling baby girl!” She bounced around the raised counter and gathered up her friend in a strong hug. “Where have you been keeping yourself, sweetheart?”

Sarah laughed hugging her friend in return. It felt so good, so calming to be surrounded by the vibrancy that only Minka could exude. “I couldn’t wait any longer to come here for some of you delicious chocolate pancakes.” Pulling back she glanced over her shoulder seeing Jareth’s face. He looked s out of place, and yet, from her memories, he would fit right in if he would once more in the clothes he’d worn when they’d first met. “Where are my manners? Mink, this is Jareth.” 

“Hold on, you mean THE Jareth?” Minka smiled broadly, reaching out, she took the man’s hands in between her own. “I am so pleased to meet you. Sarah never stops talking about you.”

“Sarah,” Jareth cleared his throat, pulling his hand from between the giant hands of the manly looking woman before him. “Who is this?” In anticipation of having his hands grabbed at again, he showed them in his pockets. 

Sarah could barely contain her giggles. “This is Minka. She was the first friend I made when I moved to the city.”

“She?” Jareth questioned lightly. The person standing before him didn’t exactly appear to be female in origin. 

“I am as much a woman as Sarah is.” Minka replied hotly. 

Sarah reached out putting her hand on Mink’s shoulder. “Minka is a Drag Queen.” She explained. Then to waylay any more questions of Mink’s chosen life style, Sarah said, “We’ll take two of my usual and we’ll be at the counter.”

Jareth followed Sarah, taking a seat beside her on the red swivel stools while their hostess toddled off on ice pick heels. “You have an interesting friend.” He said angling his body towards her. “How did you meet might I ask?”

Sarah chuckled, “It was just after I moved in to the record store and it was late night, I was starving. This was the only place open with Mink working. We talked for hours, laughing, and just having fun. She’s someone I talk to when I just need to get problems out of my head. Plus, she eats up every detail I’ve given her about you.” 

“Really?” Jareth asked arching a brow. “And what have you told her about me?” He almost didn’t want to know what details Sarah might have divulged. “Did you mention how we met?”

“Well,” sucked in air between her teeth. “I may have changed a few things about our first meeting.” When Jareth didn’t ask, she continued. “For as much as she knows, we met when I was in High School. You were a substitute teacher I had for a semester.”

“How scandalous of you Sarah.” Jareth teased. Even he knew the implications of a Teacher falling or a Student. 

“I know, aren’t I terrible?” Sarah asked playfully. “It’s not like I could tell her you’re the King of Goblins, that I was put to the test within your Labyrinth, and all the perils I survived. We may be friends, but she wouldn’t believe what I went through.”

“What else did you tell her?” Jareth was genuinely curious about everything Sarah might have imparted to her unique companion. It also warmed his heart to know she had a trusted friend that she felt safe enough to confide in. She wasn’t alone as he’d feared these long years during their separation. 

“I told her that we had a connection that went beyond any conventional means, that love burns brightly between us though being together has proven difficult. Then, all I had to do was describe you to her, and tell her how much I loved you and the way you would sing to me.” Sarah reached up, her hand going to his face once more. Right now, more than anything she would give all that she had to see them once more in his castle with the sound of his song dancing on the air. Until now, she’d only had her memories to go on. She hoped he would sing to her again.

“Just the right amount of detail without giving too much away.” Jareth nodded in approval and then turned to kiss the palm of her hand. He could see in her eyes the desire to leave this world, to return to his Labyrinth, and leave all of this behind her. “If I knew you would let me, I would take you away from all of this.” His words were no more than a whisper against her skin. 

“I can’t,” Sarah shook her head and then added, “Not yet.” The light that fired in his bi-colored eyes; joy, disbelief, love, and eagerness. Most of all she saw hope in his gaze. It was a hope she felt. Soon she wanted to leave, to go back to the Labyrinth and be at his side. 

“Then might I ask a favor of you?” Jareth knew she wouldn’t want to grant what he was about to ask, but he had to ask her none the less. If she was going to leave this world with him, then some bonds had to be repaired.

“What?” Sarah asked, tensing beside him, feeling she wasn’t about to like what he was going to say. The look on his face was one she’d seen before, only it had been after she’d said those words and sealed their fate.

“Before our time is up here, I would like for you to go and talk with your father.” Jareth looked down at his hands, his long fingers interlaced. He knew what it was he was asking of her. After what she told him the previous night, he almost didn’t ask her.

“Why would I do that?” Sarah was careful to keep her voice low and calm. She didn’t want to draw attention to them. 

“Because he’s your father.” Jareth answered in the same careful tone. “Because when you leave you’ll regret not making things better between the two of you.”

Sarah wanted to argue, but he was right. She would regret not making things right; she just didn’t know where to start. “What do you want me to do? Show up on his door step like nothing happened?”

“In whatever way you decide, I’ll be there with you every step.” Jareth looked at her, and then straightened when the unique individual came sauntering over to them carrying two plates loaded with food. 

“Here we are my lovelies!” Mink set the plates down with a smile. “Sarah swears by this breakfast to get her going in the morning.” She looked at Sarah, the mood had changed in a short span of time. “What’s going on, sweetheart?” Mink asked looking at Sarah.

“I’m thinking about going to see my father.” Sarah answered averting her gaze from the penetrating stare Mink fixed on her. 

“Are you insane?” Mink stood before her dear friend truly flabbergasted. “You told me how horribly that man treated you. Why would you want to go and see him?”

Delaying the answering of Mink’s question, Sarah shoveled a fork full of eggs into her mouth, chewing noticeably. She hated the fact that Jareth was right about mending fences with her father. If anything it would give her a chance to see her brother again. Toby was the one she truly missed, more than she would ever be able to accurately describe to anyone. With a swallow, Sarah washed down her food with orange juice, and then explained. “Ten years. That’s how long I’ve been here in the city. “ 

“That man doesn’t deserve anything from you. He hasn’t even tried to find you.” Mink pointed out, her large hands resting on the counter. Then she looked at Jareth. “Was this your idea?”

Calmly, Jareth set his utensil aside, looked at Minka, and said, “It’s a good idea.”

“Oh, yeah… The A-Bomb was a good idea too, and look how that went.” Mink muttered. 

“Mink…” Sarah drew out her friends name. “Please…. Just let it go. I have to do this.” She hated to admit it, but a decade was long enough to stay angry at her father when he was grieving. One of them had to bend, so she was going to take the high road and bend first. 

“Sarah, that man hasn’t lifted a finger to find you. Why would you go talk to him?” Minka asked. 

“It’s my little brother Toby. I want to see him again.” Sarah admitted. That had the intended effect. It stopped Minka in her tracks. 

“Ok,” Minka threw her hands up in the air exasperated. “Just don’t come crying to me when that man starts blaming you again.”

“I love you, too.” Sarah grinned and then went back to eating her food. 

 

GRAND CENTRAL STATION:

 

Jareth had handled the hustle and bustle of the people moving through the station with ease, or at least he thought he had. All the people moving about, completely oblivious to each other, reminded him of his goblins when they were crammed into the throne room. His jaw clenched tighter each time another random person bumped into him. He didn’t breathe an easy breath until he and Sarah were sitting in their seats on the train waiting for their journey to begin. 

Sarah could see how all the people had unsettled her dashing Goblin King. Leaning over to him she asked, “Are you ok?” She took his hand, her thumb rubbing back and forth across his knuckles. 

“It was just all the people.” Jareth shook his head, and then rested his against hers. “They remind me of my goblins when they try to pack themselves into the throne room. When they’re all crammed in, I feel like I can’t breathe, let alone move.” He chuckled. 

“But you’re so much taller than they are,” Sarah teased. 

“Yes, but when most of them are all piled in, they tower over me.” Jareth replied. The here many hours he spent trapped on his throne while Goblins moved all about him. Those were the times when he had so much pent up energy that only a walk through the labyrinth would cure his restlessness.

Sarah laughed. “You poor thing.” She could picture him squeezing himself between the Goblins as they were piled high on each other’s shoulders. He would even be wearing a mask of mild irritation. Then, a few moments later, the train began to move. “No turning back now.” She muttered tightening her hand on Jareth’s.

“I’ll be right there with you.” Jareth whispered, placing a kiss to the top of her head. 

Sarah snuggled closer to Jareth, drawing on his strength. “You’ve changed.” She mumbled looking out at the scenery zooming by the window. 

“What?” Jareth asked lightly.

Sarah sat up, turning in her seat, and drawing up her left leg wrapping her arms around it. “You’ve changed since last time I saw you. When I was running the gauntlet, and you came to me, you were domineering, and condescending. Now, you’re gentle and kind. I saw glimpses of that when we were in the ballroom. I can still feel the weight of your hand as you held mine, the way you guided me on the dance floor.”

Jareth nodded, wisps of his light blond hair falling into his eyes. “Sarah, I was like that because it was what you expected.” He enlightened her. “The ballroom allowed me to show you the real me, the me who was falling in love with you. In that place I didn’t want to control you, I didn’t want you fighting what was happening between us. I wanted you to feel, just feel.”

Sarah rested her chin on her knee. “I was so confused by you back then, and yet I knew I couldn’t let you win. But in that beautiful little world, I almost gave in until I saw the clock.” That was the one clear part of her journey. She couldn’t give into Jareth, as much as she might have wanted to at the time.

“Still confused?” Jareth asked. He always knew that he wanted her. His offer to her hadn’t been just a last ditch effort to run out the clock. He wanted her to consider him, to choose him, but she’d been too young. 

Sarah smiled, holding up her left hand so the fluorescent light glinted off the grass green stone of her ring. “No.” 

Because he couldn’t stop doing it enough, Jareth leaned down and kissed Sarah’s knuckles just above where the ring graced her finger. “Good.” Settling back in his seat, he moved his arm allowing Sarah to curl into his side. She did mention that it was a three-hour train ride to where her father lived. He closed his eyes letting the motion of the train lull him.

Three hours later, Sarah and Jareth were walking through the town that had been her home; the home she’d left. “It’s funny how my feet still remember the way even though I haven’t been here in years.” She, with her hand in his, turned down a side street that quickly turned into familiar gravel crunching under her feet. “I used to come through here when I’d leave the park.”

“The same park where you’d re-enact scenes from your beloved book.” Jareth chuckled. It was how he’d come across her in the first place. She was a year younger, just starting to fall under the spell of the words.

Sarah stopped to look at him. “How did you know that?”

“I was the owl on the obelisk just before it rained on the day we officially met.” Jareth answered. “Every time you spoke those words I felt pulled towards you.”

“Huh…” Sarah bit her bottom lip, then turned to resume her walk towards her old home. Jareth followed after her, his hand coming to rest on the small of her back. The warmth settled his nerves. She wasn’t too excited about seeing her father, but her dear Goblin King was right. This had to be done. It’d been long enough. And all too soon they were standing on her old porch with her hand poised to knock on the familiar white door.

Jareth watched Sarah, her closed fist shook slightly. She hadn’t knocked on the door, she just kept staring at it. He stepped in closer to her, his hand resting on her shoulder. “It’s only a door, Sarah.” Jareth whispered.

“Yeah, I know.” Sarah mumbled. “I don’t have the best of luck with them, though, where you’re concerned.” She quipped. Sarcasm helped to ease more of the tension out of her. She remembered falling down the shaft of hands when she’d gone through one of the doors in the Labyrinth.

“Oh, hilarious.” Jareth replied dryly.

Sarah sucked in a breath and then knocked three times. Heaving out air, she waited to see if the door would be open. There was no car in the drive way, and it was Saturday. Maybe her father and Toby were out. Though, she doubted it. Her father had been a workaholic when she’d been a teenager. He wasn’t likely to change, not even for Toby. Sarah was about to turn, to abandon the high road when the lock clicked behind her.

“Hello?”

“Toby…” Sarah whispered his name. 

 

TO BE CONTINUED:


	3. Chapter 3

CALLING OUT:

 

Sarah knew her brother had grown into a teenager, but she couldn’t quite believe she was actually seeing him. He was so tall, and so handsome. “Toby… Oh, my god…” She just stared at him. “You’ve gotten so tall.” 

“Sarah?” Toby hadn’t seen his sister in years, and his father rarely spoke about her. Then there was the man standing beside her. He looked familiar, but he couldn’t place the face. “What’re you doing here?”

“I wanted to see you.” Sarah breathed out, trying to calm her jangled nerves. “I know it’s been a really long time… but I...”

Jareth rested his hand on Sarah’s shoulder to give her all the silent strength he could in the face of the most difficult thing she’d ever faced. More than anything he knew this was the right thing for her to be doing. 

Sarah took a deep breath, leaning back until she felt a tinge of Jareth’s warmth to give her courage. She could tell from her brother’s demeanor that he wasn’t about to let her, or Jareth, inside. “The day I left, it had nothing to with you, and everything to do with dad. He blamed me for Karen’s death.”

Toby stood back, allowing Sarah and her friend to enter. He wasn’t sure he should be doing this. He wasn’t sure how their father would feel having Sarah back. “Come on in.” Trusting his sister would shut the door, he went to the living room feeling the chill. It was still furnished with all the furniture his mom had chosen. Their father had kept the house like a shrine to her. 

Sarah stepped inside, motioned Jareth ahead of her to follow Toby into the living room while she closed the door before joining them. “So, where’s dad?” She asked trying not to feel as if she’d stepped into the past. 

“He ran to get stuff for dinner.” Toby answered dropping down to the couch waiting for his sister and the man with her to pick a seat to sit in.

“That’s a change…” Sarah scoffed. “Normally he’d be at the office morning, noon, and night with only a ‘I’ll make it up to you tomorrow’ tossed over his shoulder as he went out the door.”

“Sarah,” Jareth’s tone was light, but held a warning with it. “Reconciliation, not confrontation.” 

“What is up with this guy?” Toby remarked eyeing the man who’d showed with his sister.

“He’s the one who talked me into coming here.” Sarah answered. She wanted to reach across the open space and take her brothers hand, but she resisted. It was so surreal, Jareth, Toby, and her sitting together after the trials of the Labyrinth. Of course, she wouldn’t mention their time there. Toby had been young and he wouldn’t remember. 

“Well,” Toby rolled his eyes, “his accent is weird.” 

“Toby,” Sarah drew out his name. She didn’t know where she was going to go from there. There was so much to tell him and even more she couldn’t say. Before they silence stretched too far into awkwardness, the front door opened. She knew it was going to be her father. Sarah stood up, preparing herself for the worst to come. 

Toby got up at well, heading out of the living room to see his dad. He wasn’t sure what he should say, or who he should say was here. They really didn’t talk about Sarah, not anymore. She had just been the ghost of a person who’d been there, and then gone. To Toby, she was more of a stranger than a sister. “Dad, there’s someone here to see you.” 

“Yeah? Who?” Mr. Williams asked of his son, but he got his answer when he looked towards the living room that was rarely used. There, he saw Sarah. Her hair was shorter, she was slimmer, but he knew his daughter on sight. “Sarah? Why are you here?”

Sarah stared down her father making sure to keep her face calm and controlled. “I came to say good-bye.” Sitting across from Toby, seeing the way he regarded her as nothing more than a stranger had changed her mind about being here. She wanted to go home, wait out the weekend and then leave to live with Jareth. This world wasn’t hers anymore. 

“Ten years too late for that.” Mr. Willams remarked coldly. He couldn’t handle seeing Sarah, seeing how well she looked, how grown up she was. 

Sarah scoffed, “Right. I knew this was a bad idea and yet I came anyway…” She started for the door when Jareth took her hand. Turning to him she whispered, “We should just go.”

“Sarah, wait one moment more. Tell him what you came to tell him.” Jareth lifted his other hand to brush his knuckles over her cheek. “This was not a bad idea.”

“And you are?”

Jareth turned his gaze upon Sarah’s father. “I’m Jareth, I’ve known your daughter for some time.” 

“I’m sure you have.” Mr. Williams comment snidely. 

“Look, all I came here to say was I’m possibly leaving the country for work.” Sarah crossed her arms over her chest and stepped away from Jareth. She wanted to indulge her anger, not have him soothe it away. “But, like I said, this was a waste of time. How could I expect ten years to pass for you to start caring again.” Rather than let her father say anything more to her, she ran out the front door. And just like that she was right back to being fourteen, to feeling like she was unwanted in what had once been her home.

Jareth was able to keep pace with Sarah and her long legged strides as she angrily stomped her way back to the train station. It was wide on his part to remain silent unsure if her anger would be unleashed on him. He stood next to her silently while she purchased two return tickets to the city. Her tone to the lovely woman behind the glass was light and careful. Some of her anger had faded away. It assured him he was safe in taking her hand, his thumb rubbing in small circles to soothe away the rest of her displeasure. 

“We have a half hour before our train arrives.” Sarah said sitting on one of the polished wooden benches. 

Jareth kneeled before Sarah, his hands resting on her knee’s. “Sarah, I know you don’t feel it right now, but seeing him was the right thing to do.”

“Oh, Jareth, I know…” Sarah sighed. “But he still doesn’t care about me.” That was what hurt her the most. Her father hadn’t worked up and ounce of emotion for her in the ten years they’d been estranged. “He still blames me for Karen, for that day it was raining and a drunk driver plowed into our car.”

Jareth nodded. “I know that if we had a daughter, and ten years had gone by without us speaking, I wouldn’t care what had happened to make us exist in silence. All I would care about is if she was well. I’m sure your father cares, he just doesn’t know how to show it anymore.” 

Sarah didn’t focus on the last part. “You want to have a child with me?” She asked. Having his child would make her life with him complete. Not to mention any child of his would bound to be just as beautiful.

“Yes,” Jareth answered. “Does that shock you?” He rose up to take the seat next to her. 

“No.” Sarah slid close to him resting her head on his shoulder. “There are certain mechanic’s involved with having a child though.” She teased. Her heart was pounding, blood rushing through her veins. Jareth wasn’t the man she remembered, or even the man she’d imagined him to be. He was better. 

“I’m well aware.” Jareth responded placing a kiss to the top of her head. “We’ll get to that, eventually. You’re the only woman I’d want to be with like that, the only one that I love enough to share an intimate connection with. I love you Sarah.” In his youth he’d had his number of affairs, but he knew that to be with Sarah in that way, she would change his life and his heart. She was his future, he knew that now, and she was so deeply rooted in his soul that no other woman would ever turn his head away from her. 

“I love you too.” Sarah replied. “You’re the only one I’ve said to, ever.” He was the only one she ever wanted to say it to. Even though she had been a few relationships in the past, none of them had been Jareth. None of them could ever hope to own her heart like he did. 

“Look Howard, young love. Aren’t they adorable.”

Jareth’s eyes fell upon a kindly older couple as they sat opposite them. “Thank you, I think.” He smiled gently. 

“Of course young man. I’m Edith, and this is my husband Howard.” Edith held her hand out to the young brunette to the blonde’s left. “And you are?”

Sarah accepted the older woman’s hand. “I’m Sarah, and this is Jareth.” She let go of the other woman bringing her hand down to rest on Jareth’s jean clad thigh. “Are you two heading to New York?”

“Oh yeah!” Edith exclaimed jovially. “We’re going to see our grandkids. They live in Manhattan.” 

“That’s sweet.” Sarah laughed lightly. “We’re going home. Our loft is in SoHo.”

“Isn’t that where all those bohemian types like to live?” Howard piped up next to his wife.

“Sarah owns half of record store.” Jareth answered. “We live above it.” 

“That’s sounds exciting.” Edith said. “Are you two married? You seem like you would be.”

“Not yet,” Sarah answered. 

“Perhaps one day.” Jareth added. “We’ve recently reconnected after a few years apart.”

“Love always does that. It brings the right people together at the right time.” Edith grinned. Then the PA made an announcement. “Oh, that’s us. Have a nice ride home.” 

“You too.” Sarah replied snuggling in close to Jareth again. 

“Does that happen to you often?” Jareth asked when the older couple were out of ear shot. He hadn’t expected them to just start up a conversation with him and Sarah.

“No, not often.” Sarah answered. She found it nice that the other couple thought they were married. Jareth had been all she ever wanted for her life. But she had to grow up before she could ever entertain the idea of being with him. If she’d given in, called out to him when she’d been younger, they’d only would have ever been chaos in each other’s life. “At least today wasn’t a total disaster.” 

Jareth laughed, kissing the top of Sarah’s head again. “No, not completely.” He found the other couple, Edith and Howard, quite enjoyable. While he sat with Sarah, time slipped by when another announcement came over the PA letting them know they could board their train to take them back to the city. 

Sarah sat by the window on the train, Jareth holding her left hand and fiddling with her ring. She could feel he wanted to ask her something. “What’s on your mind?” Sarah asked looking at him. 

“I wonder if you had wanted to call out to me before last night?” Jareth asked. 

“Yes,” Sarah answered truthfully. “There were times when I was eighteen that I wanted to call out to you, but I knew I shouldn’t.”

“Why not?” Jareth asked.

“Because we wouldn’t have been good together.” Sarah replied. “It took me losing Karen, leaving Toby, and not having the love of my father to change how I saw myself. I wanted to be sure that when I called out to you that I was mature enough not to hurt you.” 

“Oh, Sarah…” Jareth lifted her hand to his lips so he could place a gentle kiss to her knuckles. “I don’t wish to hurt you either.” He knew if they’d been together when she’d been younger, it would have been disastrous. Sarah had been right about that. 

“Course I have no idea how I made the choice to call to you. My mind just whispered your name…” Sarah muttered, turning back to continue looking out the window. “I trying so hard not to be afraid, and I guess you give me strength.” She hadn’t really thought about the real effect he’d had on her life until she was seeing him again, being with him. “What have I given to you, besides a headache?” She meant it as a joke, but the look that flashed in his eyes was anything but jovial. 

“You showed me exactly who I was; a spoiled brat who believed he could have anything.” Jareth answered seriously. “In that moment, at the end, I was so tired, so drained, I just wanted you to give in no matter what.” Leaning in, he cupped her face putting his lips a single shallow breath away from hers. “You made me want to be more than a king for you. You made me want to be a man.” 

Quite the pair they made. Sarah could feel her heart beating faster from his words, from the way he looked at her. She knew it was pushing it, but she had to taste him, to kiss him and let him know that she took his words into the very core of her being. Sarah angled her head and claimed his lips in a searing kiss that made them both moan. 

Jareth reacted to the kiss, to the passion contained within, by pulling Sarah astride him, his hands gripping her hips. She was devouring him and he was letting her. “Wait…” Jareth gasped, but she didn’t give him much time except to take a breath. A few more seconds of her pleasurable torture was all he could endure before he was tearing his lips from hers, turning his head to the side while they both drew in ragged gasps of air. “I’m sorry…. I can’t….” 

“I know…” Sarah, just as breathless as he placed light kisses to his temple. She’d pushed too far, too fast. She knew that but she couldn’t keep from kissing him in the moment. This man, the man she loved, he owned her heart, her soul, all that she was. “I still fourteen in your eyes.” She rested her forehead, her hands resting on his shoulder. 

“That’s not it.” Jareth replied running his hands up and down her sides. “We’re in public, on a train where anyone could happen upon us.” He was adventurous, but not that adventurous. Sarah buried her face in the crook of his neck, shaking with laughter. “No one is permitted to hear you scream but me.” He promised darkly. 

“That’s good to know.” Sarah grinned, kissing him lightly, and then falling from his lap to take her seat once more. Every time she thought she knew where their conversation would go, Jareth surprised her, and then she surprised herself with how truthful they could be with each other. 

 

LATER THAT NIGHT:

 

Sarah sat back against Jareth’s chest while they relaxed together in her deep soaking claw foot tub. She smiled as he rested the heel of his right foot along the rim while she fiddled with his right hand. His fingers were long and delicate. It was so strange to be seeing his hands without gloves. Every time she’d seem him, he’d been wearing black leather gloves, and in the ballroom, they had been a smoky grey. “Why did you stop wearing gloves?” She asked, placing her palm to palm with his hand. 

Jareth placed a light kiss to her wet hair and smiled. “No reason, really I don’t need them. I just wore them to perpetuate your idea of what I would like; the dark menacing King.” He regretted and praised his foresight in wearing them. If he hadn’t had them when she was in his orbit, the feel of her skin might have become too addictive. Dancing with her, holding her against him had been hard to let go of when she broke away from him. 

Sarah shifted, turning so she could rest her ear against his chest. “You know when we were dancing together, I never wanted it to end.” She always pictured them together when she needed to see his face. She would hear his voice, remember the way he sang, the way they moved smoothly together. 

Jareth brought his arms around her, his left hand moving up and down her back. “In that moment, I couldn’t believe you were finally in my arms. I couldn’t believe that I managed to get you there.” 

Sarah chuckled, “Yeah, you drugged me.” She didn’t mean it as an insult. 

“I meant to make you forget for a little while.” Jareth muttered. If had only lasted a minute, he would have cherished it just as much. 

“I know…” Sarah replied. The water was already cooling, soon they would have to leave. Pulling back, Sarah chuckled lightly, “We should go to bed.”

“We should.” Jareth nodded. He waited until she was out, a towel wrapped around her body, before he got up to do the same. It was nice to be like this with her when his mind had managed to set aside her age to just be able to see her. “Sarah…”

Sarah turned to him when he said her name a gentle come hither tone. It made her blood fire, her heart pound. He had his hand out to her, and she took it, she wanted to take it. Jareth pulled her in against him, his lips taking hers in a strong ardent kiss. Her arms draped over his shoulders, fingers threading through his silken mane of blond hair. She was ready for this to happen from the moment he told her he imagined them having a child together.


	4. Chapter 4

CALLING OUT:

 

Jareth woke the next morning with Sarah curled beside him. Her head rested on his chest, and her short dark chocolate locks hid her face from view. He couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her naked at his side. Carefully, Jareth brushed her hair out of her face to find her still asleep. How had he gone so long without her? Everything that was right about her was right for him. She made him whole. “I love you, Sarah.” Jareth whispered placing a kiss to the top of her head. Last night they’d made love in the most achingly tender way that healed the rift of years between them. Now she was no longer the child he’d fallen in love with. She was the woman he knew he had been waiting for all his life. 

Sarah tried not to wake up, not after the dream she was lost in. She was dancing, back in the ballroom, and she was in Jareth’s arms. He was guiding her, singing that song that had followed her home. All of who he’d been had haunted her dreams from the time she was fourteen. At least now when she dreamt of him, their dancing lasted forever. She didn’t run away. This time Sarah stayed in his arms and rested her head on his chest. She didn’t want to wake up, to shatter that image, but she knew upon waking, everything would be infinitely better. “Tell me it’s not morning.” Sarah slurred, clamping her eyes closed. 

“Oh,” Jareth chuckled lightly. “The moon is still out, and the stars are twinkling brightly.” He played along, wishing fiercely that it was so; that it was still night time. As he understood it, here in this realm, the weekend was meant to be whiled away doing nothing at all. Only, Sarah had something hanging over her. There were plans to be made before she left with him. Except, he wanted nothing more than to lie with her, and hold her close. Lightly, Jareth started to hum the song he sang to her in the ballroom.

“I dreamed we were there,” Sarah mumbled snuggling closer to Jareth. “We were dancing and it never stopped.” She could still feel the fabric of her dress, the way it hugged her, and the feel of his hand on her waist. “I dream about it all the time, seeing you watching me…” Her eyes fluttered open. Sarah shifted to lie atop Jareth. “I know I keep saying this, but when I was finally standing in front of you, I had never seen someone so beautiful in my life. It wasn’t just the way the way you were dressed. It was you.”

Jareth smiled, his hands running up and down Sarah’s back, the tips of his fingers feeling the subtle bumps of her spine. “I know how you feel.” He whispered. “When I saw you in that dress, I thought my heart was going to stop. Who knows, it probably did and I was too enraptured to notice.” Jareth chuckled.

“It didn’t keep you from playing ‘Cat and Mouse’ with me.” Sarah teased, her chin resting on top of her folded hands. She searched that room over and over looking for him while he actively taunted her with his smiles. Sarah wouldn’t admit it, but she had loved every second of it. The small glimpses of him had made her heart pound in anticipation. 

“Well,” Jareth drew in a deep breath, “it did make you want me more.” He had wanted her so desperately in that dream scape that he hadn’t wanted to wake up. It about broke his heart when she broke their connection, escaping the carefully constructed ballroom he created for her.

Sarah placed her hands on the bed on either side of Jareth. She kissed the center of his chest hearing him sigh in pleasure from her touch. “It definitely made me want you more.” Sarah copied his words. She changed her position, sitting astride his waist. Her hands rested on his chest while she waited to see what he would do next.

Jareth sat up, keeping as much of his body in contact with hers as he could. He wrapped his arms around her, angling his head to the side with his shoulder length blonde hair falling back away from his face. “I can’t wait to take you back to the Labyrinth.” He breathed out, his heart beating faster at the thought of having her in his castle. Jareth couldn’t wait to start their life together. 

Sarah cupped Jareth’s face. “I can’t wait to be back there either.” It’s where she knew she belonged. She had felt more at home with Hoggle, Ludo, and the others more so than she had ever been here in this world. “One more day, just one more day.” Sarah threaded her fingers through Jareth’s hair, nearly moaning from the feel of the silken strands against her skin. As much as she loved his shoulder length hair, Sarah loved his Goblin King visage much more. 

“You can’t wait for me to be looking like I used to.” Jareth teased. In all honesty, he couldn’t wait to look in a mirror and see himself. 

“That too.” Sarah replied, her words carrying her laughter. “But, I am partial to this look…” She playfully tousled his blonde locks. Jareth laughed angling his head to kiss the side of her neck. A sigh escaped her, responding to the tender way in which he held her, how he kissed her. It only made her love him more. 

Jareth took Sarah beneath him, his lips taking hers to stoke the passion between them. He broke the seal of their mouths, drawing in ragged gasps. Just as before, his eyes, his attention, everything he had was only for Sarah. She moved beneath him, making it easier for him to slip his manhood back into her velvety depths. His hips were poised to move when a loud sharp knock had him freezing in place. 

Sarah groaned, “No, no, no…” She moved her head from side to side. “Maybe if we ignore them they’ll go away.” She hoped, listening intently. The knock happened again forcing her out from under Jareth. Getting out of bed, she picked Jareth black t-shirt up and slipped it on. She went back to him, kissed him quickly, saying, “I’ll get rid of them.” 

“Hurry back.” Jareth purred. He stretched out on his back, his hands behind his head, watching her saunter down the hall away from him. Even though he wanted to wait in bed for her, he knew he wouldn’t. Jareth got up and put on his black dress pants before following Sarah out to the apartment door. She stood there, frozen in place. “Sarah, what is it?”

Sarah practically floated on air while on her way to get rid of the person that dared to interrupt her morning romp with the oh so delicious Goblin King in her bed. That all went away, however, when she opened the door to find her father standing on the other side. “What are you doing here?” She backed away, her arms crossing over her chest and then looked over her shoulder to see Jareth standing there. The calm they had vanished. “Jareth, it’s my father.”

Jareth went to Sarah immediately, possessively he wrapped his arm around her holding her at his side. “Mr. Williams, an unexpected surprise. To what do we owe this visit?” He could be calm; he could act nonchalant about the whole thing. After all, it was he who suggested Sarah go and talk to the man. 

“My daughter showed up on my door yesterday without so much as a heads up,” Mr. Williams said. “I thought I would do the same.” He didn’t know why he was here honestly. Hearing that Sarah was leaving the country shouldn’t have fazed him a bit. And yet, here he was, standing outside the door of an apartment that used to belong to his wife. 

“So, you’re here.” Sarah bit out. “What do you want?” She had a right to be irritated with him after the debacle of yesterday’s meeting. Her intention had been to make some sort of repair to the rift between them, but there was too much damage. Even though it hurt, she knew nothing would change between them. 

“May I come in?” Mr. Williams asked. He didn’t want to be standing on the steps talking with his daughter and her gentleman. 

Sarah looked up at Jareth and nodded slightly. Her King took his arm from around her waist, backing away to allow her to move, but she wouldn’t move far. “Sure.” She motioned for her father to come in.

Jareth leaned against the wall, his arms crossing over his chest. He adopted a stance that conveyed to Sarah’s father that the man shouldn’t linger too long. It would be in his interest to remain silent seeing as this was not a matter for which he should interfere in. He made sure to keep his gaze on Sarah, searching her for any sign that she needed him or his touch. 

“Why are you here again?” Sarah asked, hoping to prompt her father into replying rather than having her stand around watching him as he looked around her loft. But she knew why he was silent. This place used to belong to Karen, it was where they met when he worked in the city. It probably irritated him that she was the one living there. 

“I came to ask why you showed up yesterday after so many years.” Mr. Williams replied fixing his gaze on Sarah while being very away of the blond man standing just out of reach. 

“I told you.” Sarah said. “There’s some new job opportunities for me outside of the United States, and I’ve taken one. Jareth and I are leaving soon once we have the travel arrangements made.” Most of that was an outright lie, except the part about her leaving with Jareth. She was going to a place that had felt more like home to her than her actual one had. And she would be living with a man she adored. 

“Did he talk you into this?” Mr. Williams eyed the man watching his daughter. 

Sarah scoffed, “Oh, wow! Now you care?” She threw up her hands in annoyance. 

“You are my daughter, of course I care!” Mr. Williams defended. 

“Please!” Sarah shot back, her tone full of disdain. “I was never the child you wanted. That was Toby. I was never good enough for you. That’s why it was so easy for you to blame me for the accident that killed Karen. You probably would have been happier if I’d been the one to die instead of her. Then you could have the perfect little family you wanted.” She hadn’t meant to say all of that. In her darkest days, Sarah had prayed to switch places with Karen.

“Sarah…” Mr. Williams wanted to reach out to her, actually had his hand stretched out towards her, but a warning glance from Jareth had him pulling back. “How can you think that about me?” He asked gently.

“Because,” Sarah leveled her gaze with her father, tears filling her eyes, “You reinforced it every day of my final year at home with your silence, your barely veiled anger towards me, and you talking to Karen’s parents. I heard you on the phone with them. You blamed me, they blamed me.” That night she picked up the phone to hear her father’s angry voice on the line with Karen’s father saying that it had been my selfish need to go to the mall for a day of shopping that had taken Karen out of the house and into the rain. In fact, it had been Karen who had suggested the day out. She wanted to get out of the house, and Sarah wanted to spend time with her. In that moment Sarah made up her mind to pack only what she needed, liberate money she had stashed in various hiding places in her room, and leave early in the morning. She didn’t need to be in a house where her remaining parent blamed her for an accident. 

Mr. Williams stumbled back towards the door. He remembered the night in question, because the following morning his daughter was gone without a note. It had filled him relief, and he was ashamed to admit it. He had been relieved when Sarah never came back. “After you left last night, I went into your room to sit on your bed thinking about when you were a little girl. You were always in a world of your own. I was wrong to blame you Sarah.”

“It still didn’t stop you.” Sarah replied. She wouldn’t give him the forgiveness he was seeking from her. Not now. 

“No, it didn’t.” Mr. Williams nodded. It was then he remembered that he brought a bag with him. It was a few of Sarah’s precious memento’s he thought she’d like to have back. “I brought some stuff for you. I figured you might want them when you leave for your new life.” He went to retrieve the bag from where he’d set it down, but it wasn’t Sarah that accepted it from him; It was the blond man with the bi-colored eyes. 

“Thank you.” Jareth whispered. “You should be on your way. Wouldn’t want to leave Toby all by his lonesome for too long.” 

“Where are you taking her?” Mr. Williams asked backing out the still open door.

“Somewhere she’ll be happy and where she’ll be with me.” Jareth answered and closed the door. Turning to Sarah, he offered her the bag. “As mornings go, this hasn’t been too bad.” 

Sarah looked at Jareth, fighting the urge to laugh at him. He alone could think this wasn’t bad, but she’d said things she had sworn never to say out loud. That alone kept her humor locked down. “I said things…”

“You were angry,” Jareth set the bag aside. He brought his left hand up to cup her face. “Anger reveals truth. It was what he needed to hear.”

“But I shouldn’t have said it.” Sarah shook her head closing the distance between them where she rested her forehead on his chest.

“And yet, you still did.” Jareth pointed out. “Maybe now, some of those wounds you’re carrying around can begin to heal. Voicing tightly concealed truths often do that.” 

“How are you so sure about that?” Sarah asked, a small smile curving her lips.

“I’ve lived a long life,” Jareth answered kissing her forehead. He brought his arms around her holding her for as long as she needed. They were so close to having the life they wanted together, but he couldn’t shake this feeling of dread that settled inside him. Danger was coming Sarah’s way, and he didn’t know if he would be there to save her.

A little while later, Sarah sat on the couch pawing through the duffle her father had brought her. She’d found Lancelot, her prized stuff bear that had been a gift from her mother; the bear she’d given to Toby after returning from the Labyrinth. He picked out a few of the t-shirts that she and Karen had bought when they’d gone to various concerts. Sarah smiled at each one, remembering the great time she had with her step mother. At the very bottom of the bag was her little red book that she loved more than anything. It was where she first met Jareth written on its pages. “I can’t believe he kept any of this.” Sarah said stroking the front cover of her book.

“Perhaps he held out hope that there would be a reconciliation between the two of you.” Jareth mused, sitting next to her on the couch while he watched her as she unpacked the treasures.

“Yeah, I don’t think that was it.” Sarah shook her head, holding on to the book with both hands. “I am glad though, that he brought these things here. Especially the book.” She smiled and rubbed her thumbs over the cover.

Jareth marveled at the tender way she touched the book that brought them together. He could imagine her reading this book to a child of their own; her voice filled with love as she spoke each word. They were so close to having their life together, to leaving all this behind. Jareth never wanted anything so much in his whole life. “Whatever you don’t bring with you, I can have the Goblins return to fetch later.” He said drawing her gaze. 

“I haven’t even thought about that.” Sarah shook her head. Then she took a good look around her apartment. What should she take with her? Clothes, that was a given. The satchel her father brought, definitely. But what else? She wasn’t even sure what else she wanted from this world. Today might be the day to take a look around and pack a few keep sakes. 

“You have time.” Jareth reminded leaning in to kiss her temple. 

“Not that much.” Sarah reminded. Tomorrow was Monday. Tomorrow she was going to quit her job and leave this world behind with Jareth. She was almost eager for the new day to dawn. Blowing out a small puff of air, she curled up, resting her head in Jareth’s lap. “I can’t wait for tomorrow.” 

Jareth smiled as he stroked her shoulder length dark chocolate hair. “Neither can I.” He responded feeling eager to take her away, to finally be able to love her the way he had wanted to for so long. “You won’t believe how the Labyrinth has changed.” Jareth said idly.

“Oh yeah,” Sarah angled her head so she was looking up at him. Jareth lovingly stroked her cheek. When she was there, the outer walls were crumbling, cobwebs were everywhere, and so much debris clogged the passages. 

“Yes,” Jareth nodded. “The last ten years have been kind to those twists and turns. When last you ran through the hedge maze, it was lush and green, but now there are flowers blooming. Life had taken hold of my kingdom. You wouldn’t even recognize Goblin City, or the castle. My Labyrinth has worked to improve itself for you, anticipating your return.” Tenderly he ran his thumb over her lips, adoring the way she would kiss the pad with each pass he made. 

“Then I get to see it again, as if it were the first time,” Sarah closed her eyes. Her time within the walls had been short, but it was burned into her memory as if she’d been a resident there for years. Her eagerness grew exponentially at the thought of all that had changed. 

 

MONDAY MORNING:

 

Morning found Sarah awake and dressed while Jareth was still blissfully asleep. She wanted to head into the law firm, quit, and tell her boss about the break in on her own. There was no need to wake Jareth for that, not when the sky was still dark outside. Besides, she needed to walk alone, take in one last lingering tour of the city before she left it behind forever. Hailing a cab, Sarah rattled off her work address, and then sat back with a barely restrained smile on her lips.

“Your smile is infectious, miss.” 

Sarah looked at the cabbie when he spoke. “Oh, thank you.” 

“Something good must’ve happened to make a pretty girl like you smile in such a way.”

“It did.” Sarah sighed. “I’m leaving the city today to be with the man I love so we can start our life together.” The cabbie didn’t reply. He nodded giving her his own knowing smile in return. She was leaving today after this last bit of business.

 

LAW FIRM:  
STURGIS, WORTHINGTON, AND MYERS

 

Almost on autopilot, Sarah showed her badge to the security guard before headed towards the main bank of elevators that had just been unlocked for other early arrivals. She hit the button for the seventh floor. The moment the light lit up for the fifth floor, Sarah was hit with this sense of danger. The elevator car was empty, and she knew the only person to be in the office at this time of the morning would be her boss. She shook her head, hoping to banish this feeling.

Sarah was fiddling with the ring on her left finger when the doors opened on her floor. The lights in the office were on, and the door was propped open. Funny, Mr. Worthington didn’t usually do that. Shortening her stride, she entered carefully, and it was then her sense of impending danger made sense. 

Sarah stood looking at the two men who had guns trained on her. She had managed to dodge them all weekend, and now that she was finally able to make her boss aware of what was happening, they were already here. So was her employer. Now she realized how foolish she’d been. The man who paid her, he was also paying to have his office burglarized.

“You made a mistake little girl.”

Sarah glared at the blonde man standing to the left of her boss, Mr. Worthington. “I don’t think I have.” She took a step back.

“Don’t move, Sarah.” Allan urged. The last thing he wanted was for her to get harmed, but he couldn’t see any other way around it.

“All I have to do it make one wish, and I’ll be gone.” Sarah said quietly. Jareth had promised her he would take her away. All she had to do was wish it. Even now the words were waiting on her tongue.

“A wish? What is this? Neverland?” The brunette man rolled his eyes.

“There was once a young girl who caught the eye of the Goblin King. He fell in love with her and gave her certain powers.” Sarah recited words that had long since been buried in her mind. Last time it had been Toby. She hadn’t meant it and had fought hard to get him back. “I wish the goblins would take me away…. right now.”

There was flurry of motion, lights flickering, and the sense of being moved from one place to another. Sarah had her eyes closed, almost afraid to open them in case it had all been an elaborate dream after all. 

“Sarah.” 

Sarah opened her eyes and there he was, standing on the same hill, his wild blond hair blowing in the light breeze. Jareth wore his grey boots, grey breeches, the dark leather jacket, and the cape of midnight blue. “Jareth,” she breathed out his name. This was the man she loved, the man she had wanted for so long; her King. She ran to him, throwing herself into his arms; holding him as tightly as she could. 

“It’s ok,” Jareth soothed, holding her just as tightly as she held him. “I’ve got you, baby.” As much as he may have wanted to close his eyes, to savor her in his arms, he glared at the three men just on the other side of the veil. Pulling back from Sarah, he gripped her shoulders. “You shouldn’t have left me behind.”

“You were sleeping, and I didn’t want to wake you.” Sarah replied looking down at the sand beneath their feet. “I thought I would be back.” 

Jareth brought his hands up to cup her face, resting his forehead to hers. “The moment I heard your wish, I knew you were in danger, and my heart stopped.” He’d been terrified for far too many seconds; they felt like a life time.

“I’m sorry…” Sarah whispered. She took a slow, deep breath to calm down. It had worked, she was home.

Pulling back from her, Jareth brought her in against his side, as he gave his attention back to the men. “What should we do with them? I should punish them by making them run the Labyrinth.”

“Don’t…” Sarah shook her head. “They’re not worth it, Jareth.” He looked at her, she could see the power in his bi-colored eyes. She could see his desire for revenge for daring to even attempt to harm her. “Take me to the castle beyond the Goblin City.”

 

EPILOGUE:  
TEN MONTHS LATER

 

Jareth stood on the balcony cradling his newborn daughter in his arms. Three days ago the Labyrinth saw the arrival of Charlotte Karen Williams, a name Sarah insisted upon, and Jareth was all too eager to agree to. “This is your home, little one.” Jareth began to gently rock back and forth when he felt his daughter stirring. He wanted to keep her sleeping just a little while longer, for Sarah’s sake. The sun had just begun to rise over his kingdom, goblins were puttering about in the courtyard below. Before Sarah, this place had been just a kingdom, but now it was a home. Jareth was content, more so than he’d ever been. 

In bed, the chamber comfortably dark, Sarah opened her eyes. She searched for her beloved husband, only to find him standing in his usual place on the balcony. He was gazing out on the horizon while swaying back and forth; Charlotte in his arms. This was her family, her home, and her life. Ten months of bliss, of pure unadulterated happiness that she didn’t know how she did without it for so long. 

Sensing that he was being watched, Jareth turned to smile at Sarah. In a measured stride, he abandoned the balcony to go to her. He sat down gracefully at her side while continuing to hold a soundly sleeping Charlotte. “I wanted you to sleep for a while longer.” Jareth said lightly. 

“Charlotte will be crying in a matter of minutes.” Sarah rested her hand on his knee. 

“That, my dear, is where you’re wrong.” Jareth teased. “She woke at dawn, crying out to be held. We watched the sun come up and I sang to her for a little while.”

“Stealing some father/daughter time, huh?” Sarah settled back into the mound of pillows. 

“You better believe it.” Jareth placed a lightly kiss to his daughter’s brow. “I’m already wrapped around her little finger.” 

“Just as it should be.” Sarah rubbed at her eyes. 

“You should get some more rest.” Jareth urged. 

“I’m up.” Sarah shook her head. “I don’t want to miss a minute of her, of you and her,” She reached out, her hand resting on his arm. “I love you more now than I did a minute ago.” Tears welled up in her eyes at the sight of Jareth and their daughter. She was thankful every day for the last ten months that she called out to Jareth. 

 

THE END

 

A/N: Thank you for reading my Labyrinth tale. I’ve chosen to end things here on a happy note. Enjoy! And thank you again!


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